Improvement in velocipedes



S. P. RUGGLES.

Velocipede.

No. 217.241. Patented July 8,1879.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

STEPHEN 1?. RUGGLES, or BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT lN VELOCIPEDES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 217,241, dated July 8,1879; application filed May 31, 1879.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, STEPHEN P. RUGGLES, ofBoston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Velocipedes; and Ihereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription of the same, reference being had to the accompanying draw-1ngs.

My invention relates to a tricycle for the use of girls, its objectbeing to provide a veloci- Fig. 2 is a bottom view of the same with thesteering-wheel removed. Fig. 3 is a detail sectional View of thesteering devices. Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on a planethrough the vertical diameters of the driving-wheels.

In the frame or body of the velocipede the two side beams or bars, A A,which form the reach and seat-support, are connected together at theirrear ends, which terminate in a narrow platform, A, and divergeforwardly until a sufficient distance apart to properly support the seatB, the sides of which rest upon the front ends of said side bars, whileto the under side of said front ends are secured bearings c, in which ismounted the double-crank axle D, on one end of which is placed a loosewheel, E, and on the other end a fixed driving-wheel, E. The twotreadle-levers F F are pivoted independently at their rear ends underthe platform A, and extend forward side by side under the seat to aproper length for convenient operation by the foot of a person occupyingthe seat, and each is provided with a band, 9, to receive the foot andhold it in place. These treadle-levers are respectively connected to thecranks ff of the axle by links k, so that the alternate upward anddownward movement of the levers will communicate a rotary motion to saidaxle and the fixed wheel E, and the movement thus given to the frame, ofcourse, causes the loose supporting-wheel E to rotate also. The reasonfor having one of these wheels fixed to the axle and the other loosethereupon will be hereinafter explained.

The letter H designates the steering-wheel, which is mounted upon ashort axle journaled in a bifurcated spindle, l, which extends upwardthrough the platform A and a hollow standard or pedestal, m, securedupon the top of said platform. This spindle Z has a shoulder, n, uponwhich the platform A rests, and at its top is provided with a fixedcross-arm, 0, from which the rods 19 10 lead forward and pass throughguide-eyes in the tops of standards q q upon the side bars, A, on eachside of the seat, and each rod is provided at its front end with ahandle, 7', by which it may be drawn forward through its guide forthepurpose of turning the spindle l, and thus changing the direction oftravel of the steering-wheel. It may be desirable not to holdcontinually these handles in order to preserve the course of thevelocipede when traveling directly forward, and I have thereforeprovided devices which, while permitting the steering-wheel to be freelyturned, will return it to its direct position, and there maintain itwhen the rods 19 p are left free.

From the shoulder m of the spindle Z there projects rearwardly under theplatform A an arm or rudder, s, and upon the under side of the sidebars, A, are secured two spring-rods, t, which extend rearwardly, theirfree ends it converging toward each other, and bearing upon the oppositesides of a pin or stud, a, projecting downward from the extremity of theplatform A. The arm 8 terminates imme= diately in front of this pin, andthe springs t are curved inward sufficiently to just about touch the endof said arm or rudder on opposite sides, so that its swinging in eitherdirec= tion will be opposed by one of said springs, and whenever the armis moved to one side by the operation of the steering-rods on the spindle the spring against which it is moved will force it back again whenthe steering-rods are released until the spring rests upon the pin a.

The steering devices of the velocipede are thus automatically returnedto and maintained in position to insure a straight course, except when adeviation therefrom is purposely made by the rider.

In turning the velocipede it is manifest that thatwheel of the axle Dwhich describes the outer and longer curve must travel faster than theother, which travels the inner and shorter curve; and it is in orderthat the movements of the two wheels may be accommodated to each otherthat one is fixed and the otherloose upon the axle, it being essentialthat one wheel should be fixed to said axle, in order that it may becaused to revolve thereby and thus propel the velocipede. When the fixedwheel describes the inner curve the loose Wheel is free to revolve morerapidly and describe in the same time the corresponding outer and longercurve, and vice versa.

Having now fully described my invention, I claim-- 1. The combination,with the connected side bars and the described steering devices,provided with a rudder, s, and side spring t, of

the crank-axle having mounted upon one end a fixed wheel and upon theother a loose wheel and suitable treadles and means for operating saidaxle, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the velocipedeframe, the steering-wheel spindleplaced upon the rear end of said frame, the rudder s, and means foroperating said spindle, of two 1ongitudinal springs, t t, adapted toresist the adapted to bear against the opposite sides of said arm,substantially as' and for the purpose set forth.

STEPHEN P. RUGGLES. Witnesses:

OWEN G. EVANS, GEORGE ABBOTT JAMES.

